George Osborne today announced a sugar tax on soft drinks in a bid to tackle the rise in childhood obesity.

The Chancellor revealed the tax would kick in from 2018 and money raised from the levy would fund sports activities in primary schools.

The tax could see the price of a can of fizzy drink rise by 8p.

Speaking from the Despatch Box as he delivered his Budget, Osborne said: "I am not prepared to look back at my time here in this Parliament, doing this job and say to my children's generation: 'I'm sorry. We knew there was a problem with sugary drinks. We knew it caused disease but we ducked the difficult decisions and we did nothing.'

"So today I can announce that we will introduce a new sugar levy on the soft drinks industry."

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn welcomed the tax, saying it was needed to tackle the "grotesque" levels of sugar consumed by children.

Chef Jamie Oliver, who has long campaigned on the issue, Tweeted his delight.

We did it guys !!we did it !!! A sugar levy on sugary sweetened drinks ...... A profound move… https://t.co/0XkydLzLCo

In January, NHS Chief Executive Simon Stevens last month unveiled his own plans to impose a levy on sugary drinks and snacks in vending machines on NHS property.

The British Medical Association today welcomed the announcement, and its Science Board chairperson Baroness Shelia Hollins said: “The Chancellor’s decision to introduce a new levy on excessive sugar in soft drinks is a welcome step forward and a move called for in the BMA’s recent Food for Thought report.

"This is an important initiative that could help to begin to address the obesity crisis amongst young children, although the delay in introducing it for two years is disappointing."

He said that when he first campaigned on the issue "I was a lone voice, everyone was trying to make me look like a fruit cake" but now organisations from the BMA to cancer charities were on his side.

"Obesity costs more globally than all conflict on the planet. It is a war, it doesn't have a shoot out, it just slowly makes people ill, die young. Anyone you would trust your kids with is in support of this.